The Death Tax: A Tax We Can All Live Without

CSE strongly believes that the death tax should be completely repealed in order to make the tax code fairer and simpler, and to eliminate the harmful drag this tax has on the economy. Only through total repeal will the tax code take a step toward fundamental reform. The Death Tax needs to be permanently abolished because it punishes the American values of saving and investment by penalizing individuals for passing property along to their family.

In 2001, President Bush and the Republican Congress provided Americans with the largest tax relief in a generation. Unfortunately, due to parliamentary procedure in the Senate, the tax relief was sunset after ten years. That means in ten years the Death Tax returns in full force. However, Senators Phil Gramm (R-TX) and Jon Kyl (R-AZ) have introduced an amendment in the Senate, which calls for permanent repeal of the Death Tax. The Senate will debate the amendment in the next few weeks. We need individuals to call, write, email, or visit with their Senators’ district offices and let them know that the Death Tax must be permanently abolished. Let us know how your senator answered by emailing cse@cse.org.

Death Tax Talking Points:

The Death Tax is a Tax on American Values.

It Punishes:

  • Savings

  • Families

  • Investment in capital

    The Death Tax is Anti-Job.

  • The Death Tax is the leading cause of dissolution for most small businesses.

  • 70% of businesses never make it past the first generation because of Death Tax rates.

    The Death Tax collects little revenue.

  • Death Tax revenue amounts to only 1.5% of federal revenue.

  • Compliance of the Death Tax costs the economy more than the Treasury collects.

    The Death Tax is unfair.

  • Americans overwhelming agree it is wrong to tax property and earnings that have already been taxed before.

  • A McLaughlin & Associates poll released on March 9, 2001 revealed that 90 percent of seniors feel it is wrong to tax earnings both when they are earned and again upon death.

    What can YOU do?

    With a standing army of 280,000 members across the country, CSE’s grassroots activists have declared war on the Death Tax. CSE activists are rallying in every state getting in contact with their senators to express their firm support of permanent repeal of the Death Tax. You can help by organizing lobby visits into your senators’ offices; writing emails (you can go to CSE’s website to write a letter to your senators ) call your senators, write letters to the editor to your local newspapers, or sign CSE’s Support Permanent Death Tax Repeal Petition.